Football

I wrote here about the absurd personal foul that was called a few weeks ago against Josh Norman of the Washington Redskins for celebrating a big play by pretending to shoot a bow and arrow. This week, Vernon Davis, also of the Redskins, was assessed a personal foul for something at least as innocuous — shooting a jump shot with the football. Davis is a native Washingtonian who played his »

I wrote here about the decline in the television ratings of the National Football League so far this season. The decline is relative, though. NFL ratings are still excellent. The appeal of the NFL’s product was evident yesterday in the Washington, D.C. metro area when the following sports events were competing for viewers: (1) a regular season football game between the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Ravens and (2) a »

The National Football League’s television ratings have declined significantly this season. After four weeks, the NFL’s ratings are down 11 percent across FOX, CBS, NBC and ESPN. And the Thursday night game that kicked off Week Five experienced a 17 percent drop in viewership compared to the corresponding game last season. The biggest hit is on prime time. On Sunday afternoon’s, the traditional NFL slot, the decline is only around »

These are words I never imagined I’d hear from an NFL referee. But that was the call against Washington Redskins corner back Josh Norman yesterday. Don’t get me wrong. Shooting a bow and arrow on a football field should, at a minimum, be a personal foul. Sure, the players have plenty of padding and protection, but not enough to guarantee their safety if shot by an arrow. The problem is »

It will be a cold day in hell before I root for the New York Giants to beat the Washington Redskins (or any other team not named the Cowboys). But after today’s game between New York and Washington (won, somehow, by the Redskins), I have a strange new respect for the football Giants. Why? Because every member of the team stood with respect during the playing of our National Anthem. »

I’m a certified New England Patriots hater. Don’t even get me started. But you do have to tip your hat to them when they deserve it. Their 3 – 0 start without pretty boy quarterback Tom Brady is a remarkable feat of coaching by the worst-dressed coach in all of pro sports, Bill Belichick. But something else Belichick is doing is a terrific example of the law of unintended consequences »

The NFL announced its latest Hall of Fame class last week. The new members are Brett Favre, Kenny Stabler, Marvin Harrison, Kevin Greene, Orlando Pace, Dick Stanfel, Eddie DeBartolo Jr, and Tony Dungy. The first five seem obviously to belong. Favre retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in completions, yards, and touchdowns. He’s a three-time MVP. Stabler led his Raiders to the AFC title game each season from 1973-77 and »

I’m no football historian, but I have seen nearly all L of the Super Bowls. I don’t recall ever witnessing defense being played as well by two competing Super Bowl teams as it was yesterday. Denver’s defense must be among the best of all time. A few weeks ago it made Tom Brady, surely one of the best five quarterbacks ever in my opinion, look ordinary at best. Yesterday, they »